Freedom by a Rose
by A-rav
Summary: One choice can change the trajectory of your life completely.


**Author's Note- Well here we have a nice White Rose one-shot for this weeks upload. This story is a thank you gift written for my friend Chiken Faery for being an awesome person, hope you enjoy the story Chiken! As always this story was edited by LazyKatze and I always appreciate her hard work, especially this time because she edited this story really fast. Next week will either be an update of Tale of Two Hearts or Fighting a Beautiful Death, depending on Kat's schedule. Leave a review and tell me what you think of the story or if you see any errors that Kat or I missed. Read, Review, Favorite, Follow, and most importantly Enjoy!**

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The large room was deathly silent, and the lone occupant sat in front of her mirror, looking at her solemn expression as it watched her back. Weiss sighed deeply as she looked around her bedroom. The walls were painted a pristine white with not a single smudge of any kind to mar the walls. The room was filled with all sorts of things she had collected as a child, countless number of dolls sat on shelves untouched. A collection of stuffed animals sat on her perfectly made bed, a bed she hadn't so much as sat on in the time she had been home. Weiss had been home for two days now. She had just graduated from Beacon University three days ago. She had enjoyed one day of freedom before her father had come and brought her home. The day she had dreaded for years had finally arrived: her parents had found an appropriate suitor for her to marry.

Weiss looked at the picture of her future husband to be which was sitting partially in the frame of the mirror she sat in front of. The man was handsome, and judging from the picture he was around ten years her senior, with short black hair, emerald green eyes, and a wide, friendly smile. Weiss looked at the picture, and instead of thinking about how handsome the man was, or even about how unfair the arrangement was, she thought about the crushing loneliness she felt. She had been truly happy in that one day of freedom, she had finished her college, and she had done it alongside the person that she loved.

"_I miss you," _ Weiss thought forlornly as she exhaled the breath she did not realize she had been holding.

As much as she hated it this was the future that had been set out years in advance for her. The suitor had never been defined until recently, but her father had made it clear years ago. "_When you graduate college or whatever other silly endeavor you pursue you will marry the man I choose for you, for the good of the Schnee family." _

She had only been away from her love for two days now, but she knew that she would never see her again after the marriage happened. All she would have were the memories of the time they had shared. "_I love you—" _Weiss was about to finish the thought when she thought she heard something at her window. "_No, it can't…" _Weiss thought with a quickening of her pulse.

Another soft thud at her window told Weiss that she had not been imagining it. Standing up quickly, Weiss walked over hesitantly to the door that lead to her balcony. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves as her hand hovered right above the handle of the door. She wanted to know what was on the other side, but was afraid to get her hopes up only to have them dashed. Forcing herself to grasp the handle Weiss counted to three before gently turning it and opening the door.

Weiss felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight that met her eyes. On her balcony stood a girl taller than Weiss herself. The visitor wore a pair of black boot, jeans, and a button up shirt. Her face was round, the skin smooth and white, her expectant eyes were a bright silver that seemed to radiate their own moonlight. Her hair was short, colored black that faded to red at the tips.

"RUBY!" Weiss cried, unable to help herself as she rushed to the other girl and threw her arms around her in a fierce hug.

"Weiss..." Ruby said affectionately as she reciprocated the hold.

Weiss placed her head against Ruby's chest and was lulled by the steady beat of her heart, the difference in their heights making the position possible. "What are you doing here you dolt?" Weiss asked after a moment when the reality of what was happening had settled on her. Ruby should not have been there, as much as Weiss wanted her there, there was no way this could end well. Weiss' parents had tolerated Weiss' relationship with Ruby while Weiss was away at college, merely attributing the feelings Weiss had felt to as a 'phase', and stating that it would pass. When it did not they had taken Weiss away against her wishes from her girlfriend back to the family mansion for the pre arranged marriage.

"What do you think?" Ruby asked rhetorically as she gently lowered her lips to Weiss', allowing the shorter girl the opportunity to pull away. Weiss did not. Instead, when their lips met she sunk into the contact, the soft feel of Ruby's lips on hers and the scent of roses and sweets that clung to her filled Weiss' senses and her mind, pushing out any other thoughts except one.

"_I love this girl." _

"How did you get up here?" Weiss questioned. Her balcony was on the third floor of the Schnee mansion.

"Climbed. Combination of rope, natural athleticism, and my love for you got me up here," Ruby replied suavely before leaning down for another kiss that Weiss was more than happy to reciprocate.

"Ruby, you can't be here," Weiss said quietly after they had separated from the kiss.

"Weiss, you know I don't care about that. I only care about you," Ruby replied without any hesitation.

Weiss just looked up into those silver eyes. As much as she wanted to just sink into those eyes and the love they held, a single thought prevented her. "..._for the good of the Schnee Family." _It rang through her head like the tolling of a church bell at a funeral.

"Ruby, you know why my father brought me home right?" Weiss asked tentatively.

"I have a pretty good idea why," was the reply in the same quiet reassuring voice Ruby always used when comforting her girlfriend.

"It's for my arranged marriage" Weiss said with no emotion in her voice. Ruby seemed to flinch at the words.

"I know."

"Then you know there is nothing we can do. In a week's time I will be married to the heir of a rival company so the Schnee family can grow even more wealthy."

"That's not true, Weiss," Ruby answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What do you mean?" Weiss said, though a vague notion of what the taller girl was suggesting floated through her mind. "_She can't mean… can she?"_

"We can leave. Right now we can run and leave this place."

"Ruby, we can't…" Weiss started to weakly protest before she was interrupted.

"Don't say we can't! We can go right now, you just have to say yes," Ruby said determinedly.

Weiss remained quiet as she listened to Ruby speak. There was nothing she wanted more than to be with her red haired love, but that single thought continued to reverberate through her mind. "_...for the good of the Schnee Family" _

"Ruby, I can't. I have to go through with this marriage, for the good of the Schnee Family," Weiss said, echoing the thought her father had implanted in her.

"Weiss, I don't give a damn about what's good for the Schnee family. I only care about what's good for you," Ruby retorted and as she talked Weiss looked up into Ruby's face with nothing but love. The weak defense that years of her father's conditioning had instilled in her was crumbling.

"Ruby—" Weiss started before she was interrupted again.

"Weiss, before you say anything, I want you to think about what _you_ want and not the damn Schnee family or your father. Can you do that?" Ruby asked.

"...Yes," Weiss quietly answered after a moment's pause.

"I will leave right now if you wish. I will go without a fight and you can go through with the arranged marriage," Ruby stated in a monotone voice. Weiss felt panic at the thought although she kept it from her face. "All you have to do is look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me," Ruby finished, her hold on Weiss loosened enough so that she could pull back and scrutinize Weiss' face. Weiss looked into Ruby's silver eyes with her mist blue ones, and all she felt was love for the other girl, her girlfriend of five years. They had met the year before they had both enrolled at Beacon University and as Ruby often said it was love at first sight.

"I… I… " Weiss started saying, before she ducked her head down and mumbled something to herself.

"What did you say, Weiss?" Ruby asked, ducking her head down as well to better hear her shorter girlfriend.

"I love you, Ruby Rose," she replied, her voice a little stronger than it had been. Ruby heard this and smiled, putting her head under Weiss' chin and tilting her head up for another kiss.

"That's what I thought. Now come on, we are going-" Ruby was cut off in her explanation when a knock sounded at Weiss' bedroom door.

"Shit!" both girls hissed under their breath as Ruby dove to the side to hide out of sight of the glass door. Weiss walked over to the door and composed herself, making her face an impenetrable mask so whoever was at the door could not tell her true feelings before opening the door.

"Hello, Father," greeted Weiss at the imposing man before her. Mr. Schnee was a tall, thin man with gaunt face. His hair was neat and well kept, and it was the same color as polished steel. His pale blue eyes looked over a hooked nose down at his daughter.

"I heard a shout from my study. You are not causing trouble, are you?" he accused.

"No, Father. I am not."

"Good. We would not want any trouble before your marriage, would we?"

"No, Father. We would not," Weiss answered coldly. Her father either chose not to acknowledge or did not hear her tone.

"You will see this was for the best. That harlot you consorted with did not care about you, only for the wealth you had," he stated matter of factly.

Weiss felt a deep resentment and anger boil inside of her, but she kept it hidden, merely grinding her teeth as quietly as she could. "Of course, Father," she lied.

"Now go to sleep, we have many preparations to make before your wedding," he said, and without waiting for an affirmative he turned on his heel and stalked down the hall. Weiss closed the door and turned around, putting her back to the door and was greeted by a comedic sight. Ruby was crouched behind the balcony door, her head sticking out to look at Weiss, reminding the white haired girl of a puppy looking guilty after being caught doing something wrong.

"Is he gone?" Ruby questioned.

"Yes, though we need to be quiet or he'll come back," Weiss answered, Ruby sighed as she stood up and walked into the room and looked at Weiss.

"So what do you say Weiss?" Ruby asked hopefully.

Weiss took a moment to look into the other girls eyes before answering. "Let me get my shoes on."

"YAY!" Ruby cried before silencing herself. Weiss shook her head and flicked Ruby in the forehead .

"Keep it down, you dunce," Weiss reprimanded sternly before hurrying over to her bed. Her pair of stylish but functional boots beside it. Weiss busied herself with putting the boots on while Ruby walked out onto the balcony and checked the rope to make sure it was still secure.

"Alright, so what's our plan?" Weiss asked as she walked out next to Ruby.

"Well, we're going to climb down this rope and once we hit the ground make a break for those woods," Ruby said, pointing to the large stand of trees that was about seventy-five feet from the mansion. "Then we keep running."

"Is that it?" Weiss asked skeptically.

"Of course not, but the next part is a surprise. Don't worry, I have it planned out," Ruby said with a grin that melted Weiss' heart.

"Alright, then let's go," Weiss replied confidently as she went for the rope before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me go first," Ruby said.

Weiss was about to argue before she took a step back. "Alright."

Ruby threw her legs over the balcony, holding onto the stone ledge with one hand and the rope with the other

"If I don't make it Weiss, know that I always loved you," Ruby sighed dramatically.

"if you don't get going I'll push you off myself, you dolt," Weiss replied with a roll of her eyes.

"How cruel. That's the thanks I get for saving my princess?"

"I love you, too, you dolt," Weiss said, giving Ruby a quick peck on the cheek before the other girl started slowly and carefully making her way down the side of the mansion. Weiss counted to ten before following, throwing one leg over the ledge and then the other. Weiss looked back into her room for what she realized would be the last time. "_Good riddance," _she thought before gripping the rope and walking backwards down the wall. It was slow going, the two girls moved at a cautious but consistent pace, afraid to make any wrong moves or alert any of the other residents of the house. Ruby hit the ground first while Weiss was still about eight from the ground

"Weiss jump! I'll catch you," Ruby called out quietly.

"Are you crazy!?" Weiss hissed.

"Do you trust me?" Ruby asked.

Weiss took a moment to think about the question. "Yes, I do, so you better catch me," Weiss said before she let go of the rope and started falling. After a second of free fall Weiss landed softly in Ruby's arms with an _oomph _from Ruby, indicating that she had braced herself for the catch.

"Why, hello my princess," Ruby said suavely, giving Weiss a kiss before setting her down onto the ground. "Now let's get going," Ruby finished, taking Weiss' hand in her own before starting to run and pulling Weiss along behind her.

Weiss had lost track of how long they had been running. The seventy-five feet to the beginning of the trees quickly disappeared underneath their feet, but they kept running through the forest. After what seemed like hours of running, Weiss and Ruby were both slowing down, tired from the exertion and covered in sweat. The humidity of the summer night made their sweat soaked clothes cling to their bodies. Ruby looked around where they were before a huge smile broke out on her sweat covered face.

"We're almost there!" she said cryptically before continuing to lead the white haired girl along.

"Almost where…" the words died in Weiss throat as they reached a clearing and the object that sat in the clearing stunned Weiss. "Is Yang here?" Weiss asked as she looked at the polished yellow motorcycle that sat there. The vehicle was Ruby's sisters prized motorcycle.

"No, when she heard about my plan she said I could have it. Called it an early wedding gift," Ruby answered with a deep red blush rising on her cheeks as she said the last part. Weiss felt heat rise to her face as well, but coughed to try and draw attention away from it.

"Well, then I need to thank her next time we see her, but before we go any farther, Ruby can you please explain the rest of your plan?"

"Well, we are going to take Yang's—I mean, _my_ motorcycle, and drive to our new house. My uncle Qrow has a small house outside of Vale he no longer uses that he said we could have, and he pulled some strings with friends of his and got me a job at a major engineering firm so my degree won't go to waste," Ruby explained.

Weiss listened to the plan Ruby laid out for he with rapt attention. "That is a well thought-out plan," she said after thinking it over. Ruby beamed a wide smile, "Though there is one issue with it."

"What is it?" Ruby asked worriedly, afraid she had overlooked some major detail.

"At what point do we get married?" Weiss asked with a sly smile. Ruby blinked several times as she took in what her girlfriend had said before scooping her up in a bear hug and twirled her around.

"Whenever you want, my Ice Queen!" Ruby said jokingly, using the nickname Weiss had had during college.

"Put me down, you dunce," Weiss said with absolutely no malice in her voice, the word used affectionately for her taller girlfriend who was like an overgrown puppy. Ruby set down Weiss before walking over to the motorcycle and picking up the two helmets on it, tossing one to Weiss and putting the other on her head. Weiss caught the helmet and slipped in on over her head while walking over to the two wheeled vehicle. Ruby was already sitting on it and Weiss sat behind her with her arms around Ruby's waist, resting her head on her back.

"I love you, Ruby."

"I love you, Weiss," Ruby replied before she turned the engine over and the quiet silence of the clearing was filled with the roar of the engine. Ruby slowly pulled the motorcycle to the edge of the clearing and Weiss saw that it was connected to a small road that Ruby pulled onto before speeding the motorcycle up to the speed limit. Weiss looked back over her shoulder in the direction of the Schnee Manor before turning her head back to look at the strong back and shoulders of Ruby. "_This is what I want. I love her," _she thought as the small road turned a bigger road, allowing Ruby to go faster.

"_This is the start of my life with my love," _they both thought as they drove through the night, heading to their new home and their new life.

* * *

Weiss heard the alarm go off and she flailed her arm to try and find the infernal thing to silence it. After a moment in which she was unable to find the blaring alarm she felt a familiar weight roll over her and turn the alarm clock off. Weiss opened her eyes and was pleased with the sight that greeted her. Ruby was laying on top of her, a sleepy smile plastered on her face as she looked down on her wife's face.

"Good morning, beautiful," Ruby said as she gave Weiss a sleepy kiss.

"What time is it?" Weiss asked once her mouth was free again.

Ruby took a second to look at the clock that had been noisy a short time ago. "9 am," she answered.

"Why is the alarm set so early on a Saturday?" Weiss asked before the reason for the early morning start came barreling into the room.

"Mommy!" a young voice called as the child it belonged to jumped on top of Ruby, piling the weight on top of a crushed Weiss.

"Good morning, Iris," Ruby grunted as she took the impact of their overactive child jumping on her. Iris Rose was their daughter who they had adopted as a baby five years ago. She had black hair like Ruby, but without the red tips, and wide green eyes set in a happy, round face.

"Yay, you two are awake!" the small child cheered as she wrapped her short arms around Ruby's neck and kissed her cheek.

"Yes, we are, though we should move before we crush Mom!" Ruby said as she rolled herself and Iris off of Weiss who nodded gratefully.

"Come on you two, let's get up!" Iris chanted as she crawled over Ruby to sit on Weiss' chest, pulling on her cheeks with her hands.

"You little," Weiss menaced playfully as she lifted Iris up and held her in the air.

"Weeeee!" the little girl cried before Weiss set her down on the other side of her.

"We'll get up in a minute dear," she said as she tousled the little girl's soft hair as Ruby rested her head on Weiss's other shoulder.

"We have a long day ahead of us. The little one there has a whole day of activities planned for us," Ruby said. Weiss turned her head over and gave Ruby another kiss.

"Sounds like a wonderful day then," she said as she held the two people closest to her heart next to her. "_Twelve years since that night and I wouldn't trade a single day of it for anything," _Weiss thought as she gave Iris a kiss on the cheek, "_This is a wonderful life I have." _


End file.
